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Changing a Project Goal

Posted on May 29, 2011 10:54 am by TheAngelForever

Way back before the start of 2011, I taught myself a new technique in knitting.

I made a goal to do a project using this process. As you can see my Log Cabin Blanket was a large and lofty goal.

Sometimes, you find something else you like more and your goals are put off to the side. The reality is, I like mindless knitting. Log Cabin is not mindless to me and the idea of sewing everything together is daunting to me at this time. So I am changing things up. I am going to use the yarn that my family picked out to make a lighter diagonal blanket, like the one that I just finished. Here is the start:

Last night, I was in a knitting mood. I now have a stripe of all colors except the Autumn Red. I really like this project to unwind at night and keep up with my hobby of choice.

Have you ever changed up a goal or something for a project to make something else?

Categories:
arts and crafts knitting looking back me moments photos

Favorite Flavors For Summer

Posted on May 27, 2011 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

It’s hard to believe that I have not had my Keurig Machine for a year. I do believe that it may be my best small appliance friend. During the winter, it helped to keep me warm, get me going in the morning, soothe me after a rough day, gave me a caffeine boost, and allowed me to control my headaches. Here is my beloved machine and some of my K-Cup collection

Now that the warm, even hot weather is here (it reached close to 90 here in NY Thursday), coffee is ok in the morning. By the afternoon or early evening, it is just too warm. This weekend, I think I am going to work on making some ice to try some iced coffee. I think it may work, but not too sure how I will like it. Each morning, I will look forward to my cup of coffee along with one of my favorite add-ins.

Yes, I am a HUGE fan of Coffee-mate. Although I like the liquid ones, the powered ones are even better for me because they do not have to be used as quickly once open. It allows me more variety in a short amount of time.

So my question to you this week is:

What is your favorite coffee or iced coffee to have or make? If you do not like coffee, what summer drink do you prefer and why?

Pssst . . . stop by TechyDad’s Dinosaur Train Giveaway to enter for a chance to win some Dinosaur Poop and Hatchers.

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Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the linky there if you are participating.

Aloha #153

Categories:
Aloha Friday food glorious food me moments photos summer yummy

Baby Blanket Envy

Posted on May 26, 2011 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

When my nephew was born, I gave him my first ever baby blanket that I knitted. Sure, I had started many afghans over the years, but had never actually finished one. Here is little BA sleeping under my blanket:

When my life long friend H found out in January that she was having a little boy, I told her that I wanted to knit him a blanket. That evening, I went to the craft store and bought yarn. I picked out a new pattern to try and knew the supplies that were needed. I opted to try a new adventure. A knitting buddy finally convinced me to try a diagonal blanket using circular needles. I quickly fell in love. Before I knew it, the baby blanket was complete and ready long before the baby shower.

Much to my surprise, my two young boys were quite jealous of this soft blanket and wanted me to knit something for them. Once again, I went to get supplies to make a family blanket. I knew the yarn I wanted, but they did not have nearly enough in the dye lot. I got a little more creative and opted to try the diagonal pattern using stripes. So every 25 rows, I switched from the Sunny Days yarn to dark blue. Here are some photos from the last 3 months. Thanks to trips to Disney, business, illness, school hoopla, and more – it took 3 months to knit the entire family sized blanket.

Now the blanket is knitted and I need to weave in the ends. I was shocked to see that the blanket almost fits across my entire queen sized bed. Next up, I am going to use the yarn that I had bought for a Log Cabin blanket to make another lighter and larger diagonal blanket.

If you knit or crochet, be sure to catch me on Ravelry:

Be sure to let me know what project you are working on right now. I’m always looking for more ideas to add to my list.

Categories:
arts and crafts crafts decisions gift ideas knitting looking back me moments photos

The Online Mom Connection

Posted on May 20, 2011 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

The world of blogging has opened up the world to me. I have met amazing people online, at conferences, and even locally. The reality is that the internet connects people that may have never met under normal circumstances.

Case in point, I recently had the opportunity to meet the Publisher of Genesee Valley Parent Magazine based out of Rochester, NY.

Barbara Melynk started her magazine 16 years ago and it is still going strong. The way we met is a long story. The in-person meet up was thanks to a blogger outreach connecting people from Western NY to the Capital District area. Although our meeting was short, Barbara was a wealth of information and a very classy woman. She has definitely inspired us. Barbara’s magazine also had an article called Her Words: Moms of Rochester Share Their Words of Wisdom Across The Digital Wires. The article shows how three bloggers in that area are digitally connected via their blogs. A great read for when you have time.

Here is a photo of almost everyone in the group that was at the informative meeting with Barbara.

Ali and her daughter – The Craning Gap
Kelly (green scarf) – Albany Mommy
Linda (yellow shirt in back) – Linda Carmical
Christina (sporting shades) – Cutest Kid Ever
Me (green shirt)
Barbara (yellow shirt in front) – Genesee Valley Parent Magazine
Sandra (left before the photo) – Albany Kid

Thank you ladies for a wonderful mid-afternoon filled with networking and lots of laughs.

So my question to you this week:

Who is someone that you have met online that you would love to meet in real life and why?

Pssst – be sure to check out my Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides giveaway.

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Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the linky there if you are participating.

Aloha #152

Categories:
Aloha Friday bloggy friends friends interesting looking back me moments photos

A Much Needed Mommy Field Trip

Posted on May 12, 2011 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Yes, it is true. This mommy took herself, and a friend on a field trip the day before Mother’s Day. Some may call it selfish; others call it a must needed adventure. I call it being a GEM and knowing that I need ME time. Thanks to Rene Syler, I have realized that it is fine for me to need time away from my family. I love the boys, but this mama likes time with friends and having some additional estrogen in her life.

The reality is that a lot has changed since we got back from Disney Social Media Moms Celebration. At the time, I knew there were big changes coming, but never could have imagined the way it would play out. We started to look at different schooling options for our son. After a major bullying incident, we had to look into this faster than we had intended. I am no longer associated with the local magazine for a variety of reasons. What I realized during all of this chaos is that I love my family/friends and their place in my life. I also saw how people stepped up, helped me with things, and allowed me to laugh during a highly stressful time. Most important of all, I saw the power of women coming together. Reinventing myself is happening with each breath that I take.

Since we got back from Disney, I have been communicating with Rene Syler. Rene has been awesome cheering me on in the background as I embrace my inner GEM (Good Enough Mother). Her energy is contagious. At one point, Rene and I realized that we do not live too that far from one another. The Head GEM suggested that we meet for lunch one day. Before I knew it, Rene and I set a date for a Mommy Field Trip for the two of us and Christina from Cutest Kid Ever.

This past Saturday, yes the day before Mother’s Day, we met at a restaurant. After lots of hugs, we sat down, ordered some drinks/food, and talked up a storm. We had a lot to chat about. Business, families, education, social media, fun, Disney, and pretty much anything else you can think of was on our agenda. Being bloggers, we all took turns taking photos of our food and other items:

Of course, being the social media groupies that we are, we also sent out some Tweets from the Mommy Field Trip. Here is the TwitPic that I captured of the beautiful Rene:

Before we finished our meal, we asked someone in the restaurant to take a photo of us. We hoped to get one outside along the Hudson River, but needed one from inside. Here is a view from our Mommy Field Trip:

Before we knew it, the time had come to head out to our cars. Lots of hugs, some photos by the river, and promises to do this again. It was an amazing first ever Mommy Field Trip for me thanks to the women I was with. Thank you Rene for being an inspiration. I know that Christina and I will use your words of wisdom in the not too distant future. Thanks to you, I move forward one step at a time toward my GEM reinvention. Thank you for supporting me and my new projects that are yet to be seen.

Have you been on a Mommy Field Trip recently? If not, what are you waiting for?!